The Pepperbox

The Pepperbox is a three-story hexagonal tower built from English bond brick, topped with a low pyramidal roof of Welsh slate and crowned with a weather vane. The structure sits on a hilltop and is visible from far away, with its six-sided shape immediately catching the eye.

Giles Eyre of Brickworth House built this structure in 1606, originally as a viewing tower for his estate. During World War II, it served the local Home Guard as an observation post.

The structure takes its name from its resemblance to pepper shakers that were common in English households during the 17th and 18th centuries. This everyday comparison has stuck with the building through the centuries and immediately evokes the object for visitors.

The site is reachable via the A36 road, with a car park holding about 20 spaces at the base of Pepperbox Hill. Access from the car park involves a short uphill walk to reach the tower itself.

In the 1990s, the site became the location of some of the first outdoor dance parties in England, organized by a group called People From Pepperbox. These unauthorized gatherings marked an important moment in the country's alternative music scene.

Location: Whiteparish

Website: https://nationaltrust.org.uk/pepperbox-hill

GPS coordinates: 51.02277,-1.69834

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:46